Junior Hockey’s Rising Stars - Apr. 20th-28th
WRITTEN BY JOSHUA BOYD
Each week, check back with The Dan K Show as Joshua Boyd breaks down the past week's top performances from 2007 and younger U.S. junior players (2008 and younger for USPHL Elite and EHL Premier). All statistics are taken from league sites; if there are any statistical errors, please contact the league in question.We are also now monitoring top performances by 2026 NHL Draft prospects, based on NHL Central Scouting rankings.
Games of April 20-28, 2026
Top USHL on NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings (NA Skater Ranking)
1. William Tomko, Sioux City Musketeers, 2GP-1G-2A-3PTS (198th)
2. Rudolfs Berzkalns, Muskegon Lumberjacks, 3GP-1G-2A-3PTS (30th)
T/3. Evan Jardine, Youngstown Phantoms, 2GP-1G-1A-2PTS (78th)
T/3. Jack Hextall, Youngstown Phantoms, 2GP-1G-1A-2PTS (34th)
USHL
The Sioux Falls Stampede are surely thankful to Brent Solomon '07 for helping the Western Conference's No. 1 seed close out the Lincoln Stars in a close 3-2 series. Solomon, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, scored a 3-1-4 line in Games 4 and 5 on April 25 and 28, respectively. He scored the first and game-winning goal in the 2-0 shutout victory on April 28 to clinch the series, his first career playoff game-winner. Solomon finished tied for third in team scoring with 53 points in 54 games during the regular season, and stands with 61 points in 69 combined regular season and playoff games in his two USHL seasons. The former Champlin Park (Minn.) high school star is bound for the University of Wisconsin next season - but he and his teammates first have their eyes squarely on the Clark Cup.
The Muskegon Lumberjacks were excited to get their Captain Carter Sanderson '07 - a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect - back from injury in the deciding Game 5 to score a goal and an assist to help Muskegon win their Eastern Conference semifinal against Dubuque. He now has three points in five playoff games, after finishing this past season with 34 points in 54 regular season games. In 120 combined regular season and playoff games with Muskegon, he has 49 points. Sanderson, a University of North Dakota recruit for next fall, was selected by Muskegon in the 2024 USHL Draft with their fourth round, 51st overall selection out of the Sioux Falls Power AAA team.
Nolan Geerdes '07 moved into a tie for the USHL lead in game-winners with what ended up being the series-winner for the Madison Capitols versus the Youngstown Phantoms. A Western Michigan recruit, Geerdes is not only tied for the league lead in game-winners, but he's also tied for second-most points among all USHL defensemen, with six points in six games. Three of those points came from Games 2-4 in the 3-1 series victory over Youngstown, the aforementioned GWG plus an assist apiece in Games 2 and 3. The former Rogers (Minn.) High School star was selected by the Capitols in the 2023 USHL Phase I Draft (seventh round, 91st overall). For his USHL career thus far, he has 38 points in 72 combined regular season and playoff games.
After a bit of a tough start to the Sioux City Musketeers' series vs. Fargo, Jack Fichthorn '07 put together a fantastic final two games of his season in net. He helped his team win Game 3 by stopping 28 of 29 shots in a 2-1 OT victory. Game 4 also went to OT and he stopped 31 of 34, but it was that 34th shot that gave Fargo the OT and series victory. Between April 23-24, he stopped 59 of 63 shots for a .937 save percentage. Fichthorn's .917 save percentage for the playoffs ranks fifth among USHL goalies, and his 2.65 GAA is in the top 10. A former Westminster Prep star and future Sacred Heart University Pioneer, Fichthorn has a 15-15-3-2 record with a .903 save percentage between this year's regular season and playoff run.
NAHL
Nick Snyder '07 did what he could for the Bismarck Bobcats, but alas, their season ended. He scored a 2-2-4 line in his final three games, improving to six points in five playoff appearances, tying for the team lead. The University of Vermont recruit helped the Bobcats win the 2025 Robertson Cup and went to the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede to start this season. He returned to the Bobcats in January and finished with 25 points in 21 regular season NAHL games, plus his playoff performance. A former Pittsburgh Penguins Elite AAA player, he had joined the Bobcats last year in the same season he started with the Pens 18U team, playing a combined 28 regular season and playoff NAHL games, and scoring 17 points. For his NAHL career, he has 48 points in 64 games.
Colin Dustin '07 rejoined the victorious Rochester Jr. Americans after missing the first two playoff games. With two goals and an assist - including the game-and series-winner in overtime on April 26 - he made an immediate impact. Niagara University certainly noticed - one day later, Dustin committed to the NCAA Division I team. Dustin finished his first regular season with a 20-20-40 line in 53 games, after joining from a long career with the Ohio Blue Jackets AAA organization.
Konner Powell '07 was also on board for the Jr. Americans' five-game series win, which saw them surrender a 2-0 series lead and saw the Northeast Generals force the fifth game. Powell was one of the goal-scorers in the Game 5 win, scoring the Amerks' second goal for their first lead of the game. Powell had been a regular with the Bishop Kearney Selects, who always made deep USA Hockey Nationals runs while he was on board in the 15U, 16U and 18U Nationals. He had three points in five playoff games (all in the last three, April 23-26), and in the regular season, produced 24 points in 45 games. He was a 2025 USHL Draft Pick by Muskegon, selected in the 12th round, 197th overall.
Brady Krey '07 helped the Lone Star Brahmas to reach the South Division Championships, sweeping the Shreveport Mudbugs, 3-0. Krey, a Northstar Christian Academy product, played all three games and registered a 0.67 GAA and a .973 save percentage, both league-leading postseason numbers. Krey put a bow on the series with a 25-save shutout win. Krey split the season between the USHL's Madison Capitols (where he won three games) and the Brahmas. During the regular season, he went 9-2-0-0 with a .925 save percentage. In 2025, Madison was the second USHL team to draft Krey, selecting him in the Phase II Draft (fifth round, 69th overall).
NCDC
For the most part, the Dineen Cup Championship Series in Idaho Falls (April 25-28) were marked by players born in 2005 and 2006. However, there were a few '07's who got into the scorebook.
For the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders, Eric He '07 scored his team's only goal in their tournament-opening loss to the Grand Junction River Hawks. With four points in eight playoff games, He finished in a tie for fourth in P.A.L. playoff scoring. He joined the Jr. Islanders during the winter after playing games earlier in the season in the OHL and OJHL. After joining P.A.L., He scored six points in nine regular season games. This was He's third junior season.
Two 2007-born defensemen for the host Idaho Falls Spud Kings were helpers - with helpers. Isaac Sabel '07 registered an assist in their opening 5-4 win on April 24. With two assists in seven playoff games, Sabel finished in the Top 5 for playoff scoring for the Spud Kings. Sabel posted eight points in 53 regular season games this year, after scoring two assists in 37 NAHL games with Janesville in 2024-25.
Like Sabel, Stephen Bloomer '07 also had two points (both assists) in seven playoff games for Idaho Falls. Also like Sabel, Bloomer was a second-year junior veteran this year. Last year, he played in the EHL with the Philadelphia Little Flyers, before starting this season in the NAHL with the New Hampshire Mountain Kings. A 2025 USHL Draft selection by the Tri-City Storm, he posted two assists in 12 regular season games after joining Idaho Falls in February.